On December 23, 2008, Brit Hume anchored his final show and announced Baier would replace him as anchor of Special Report.[5] He hosted his first show as permanent anchor on January 5, 2009.[1]

A Freedom of Information Act request filed to investigate alleged anti-Fox News bias in the Barack Obama administration revealed an internal email from the White House communications office, dated October 23, 2009, that referred to Baier as a "lunatic."[6] The aide who sent the email later apologized to Baier.[7]